Last.



No. 708,077. Patented Supt. 2, I902,

I tion filed June as 19 N o M o u e l F13 .5 5 ,6 9r lmzeniin",

David 1 L Pmini5n,-

hinge 3 to the upper surface of said section,

UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID L. PURINTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

LAST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 708,077, dated September 2, 1902.

Application filed June 28, 1901. 7

T0 at whom it WNW/0071106776..

Be it known that 1, DAVID L. PURINTON, a citizen of the Dominion of Oanada,and aresident of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lasts, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to that form of lasts in which the same are constructed in two sections hinged together and my invention has for its object the devising of an improved arrangement for temporarily preventing said sections from having'relative movement upon such hinge.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure l is a longitudinal section of a last provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the hinged portion of the last, showing the same flexed. Fig. 4 is a detail side view of the locking device, and Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the pivotal member of this device.

The reference-numeral 1 designates the toe and body portion of the last, and 2-the heelsection, hinged together at 3. To prevent these last-sections from flexing except when it is desired to. remove the same from within a shoe, I provide the bar 10, pivotally held by one section and terminally abutting against the other at some little distance above the hinge 3, as shown in-Fig. 1. By pressing the free end of this bar downward the last-sections are no longer braced apart, butcan be easily turned on the hinge. This bar is rendered a practical construction in the following manner: Its pivotal connection with one of the last-sections comprises the U-shaped spring-strip 15, having a nail-hole 18 in one branch and an eye 17 turned over in its other branch 16, the latter being split, as shown in Fig. 5, for the reception of the end of the bar 10. These branches being elastically pressed together and the pivotal end of said bar being flattened, the bar is normally held thereby in its horizontal position. A pronounced shoulder 11 holds said bar from being raised above its horizontal position. In securing the pivotal member 15 to the toe-section a groove and hole 4 are cut therein, as shown, and a nail or screw driven through the nailhole 18 into the wood. In the face of the heelsection is cut a groove 5, extending from'the Serial No. 66,343. (No model.)

and within this groove is set a metal plate 6 to protect the wood against the thrust of the bar end. The object of this groove is to give space for the accommodation of the bar when the last-sections are flexed together, as shown in Fig. 3. At the same time said groove serves the additional function of securing the bar end against the possibility of being bent or deflected to one side by any chance hit. As shown in Fig. 1, the bar 10 meets the plate 6 at so near a right angle as to be in its best possible position to resist the thrust without slipping. In addition to the function of preventing wear accomplished by said plate 6 it is further very important by reason of the possibility given by such construction for taking up any variations in the length of the bar 10 or of the locations of its pivotal point. For instance, if said bar happens to be slightly short or its pivot to be slightly nearer the toe of the last I introduce a'slightly-thicker plate than would be used if the bar were longer or set nearer the heel of the last. In this manner by having several thicknesses of plates at hand it is the matter of but a second to select and introduce the proper thickness of plate,and thereby have the last rigidly braced. This is a most important particular, for if the hinged last is not tightly braced by the bar 10 the last is highly imperfect.

In removing this last from a shoe formed thereon all that the operator needs to do is to give a downward thrust against the bar 10 with the rod by which he engages the last and then with said rod pull up the heel-section and withdraw the entire last from the shoe.

What'I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows, to Wit:

The combination with the hinged last-sections, of ythe bar, and the pivotal member for said bar comprising the U -shaped spring-strip one end of which is formed with the split eye pivotally holding an end of said bar, and the other end constructed to be fastened to the toe-section, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of June, 1901.

DAVID L. PURINTON.

Witnesses:

A. B. UPHAM, E. W. WAITE. 

